I have had "Christmas" books piling up since September but I refuse point blank to write about them until at least October as I think the festive season starts far too early and I have no desire to encourage this. As most of you Dear Readers will know by now I am Scrooge like when it comes to Christmas and am likely to snarl Humbug at everyone. But even Ebenezer capitulated in the end and, now I have grandchildren, I cannot allow my snide tendencies to take over. But though I may be sweetness and light to everyone I still refuse to garland my flat with decorations that will all have to be taken down in a week, nor do I get a tree, artificial or otherwise. I am away at Christmas so there is simply no point. Last year I did spend time with Florence and Beatrice decorating an enormous tree at the Other Grandparents house and I admit I did enjoy it. Mark you, the adults were knocking it back at the time...drink that is not the tree.
So now my Misery Credentials have been established, here are the books that have been brought to me by the Christmas Elves. (iIcan't believe I just wrote that....)
Noel Streatfield's Christmas Stories published by those lovely peeps at Virago one of my favourite houses. These stories were originally written in the 1940-60s for annuals, magazines and the radio. They have never been collected before and when I read about this gorgeous book I simply had to have it. I picked up a wonderful edition of Ballet Shoes at a book fair last week, pristine condition with the original illustrations, and it reminded me again just how much I love this author. I would say give it to your children, but quite honestly, I would hang onto it yourself.
The Christmas Card Crime and other stories edited by Martin Edwards and published by the British Library. Who can resist buying these simply glorious books with their simply glorious covers? I had new shelves built last year and built them so I could double stack as I knew the day would come when this was unavoidable, and I have shelves doublestacked with so many from the Classic Crime series. I am having to sort out books and be absolutely ruthless in order to keep space for so many goodies, of which this is one. There are stories inside by Baroness Orczy, Carter Dickson, Frances Durbridge to name but a few, and one by my Discover of the Year, E C R Lorac. I keep planning a post on this author and I simply must see if I can get it done soon.
Another British Library title - Spirits of the Season, Christmas Hauntings and Tales of the Weird. Just read this opening paragraph to the first story and see if it doesn't wet your appetite:
"The events which I am about to relate took place between nine and ten years ago. Sebastapol had fallen in the early Spring; the Peace of Paris had been concluded since March; our commercial relations with the Russian Empire were but recently renewed; and I, returning home after my first northward journey since the war, was well pleased with the prospect of spending the month of December under the hospitable and thoroughly English roof of my excellent friend Jonathan Jelf, Esquire of Dumbleton Manor, Clayborough, East Anglia"
Now don't you just know that something awful is going to happen. A Manor House in the country in the dead of winter. Cannot fail. Other stories have the most over the top titles: The Curse of the Catafalque, Christmas Eve on the Haunted Hulk, The Shadow and The Demon King. Who can resist?
Back in December 2016 I reviewed Christmas Days by Jeanette Winterstone, link here, and I simply loved it and also read it in 2017. I shall be reading it again this year. Along with A Christmas Carol it has become one of my regular Christmas Reads. Do try it. It is Lovely.
And I have mentioned A Christmas Carol. I am a huge lover of Dickens and this book never fails to reduce me to tears whenever I read it. If I am ever going to leave my Scrooge like tendencies behind it will be down to Charles whose love of humanity is in so much that he writes, but positively radiates from this title. I posted about it several years ago and have several editions on my shelf. The link is here.
Since then OUP have sent me a gorgeous copy with the original illustrations and so I now own six different versions of this story - I gave the Quintin Blake illustrated copy to Florence who wanted to read it and loved it, but I still have plenty to choose from. And I will end this post with a quote I used in the previous one:
Anyone who is not moved by Tiny Tim's 'God Bless us, every one' can, in the words of Scrooge 'be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart'.....
Gosh, I am beginning to feel festive....I must be getting old
